'No price hike during Onam, kit distribution from August 10': Cabinet decides on five administrative reforms

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Wednesday announced that the state government will introduce five major administrative reforms under the General Administration Department to prevent delays in implementing government projects. He also said the government will take steps to control the rise in prices during the Onam season and distribute free Onam kits from August 10.

Addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister outlined the key decisions. He said the cabinet decided to implement five reforms as the state has been losing crores of rupees over the years due to inefficiencies.

"The first reform is the Asset Management Digital Platform, which will maintain details of all government assets, including land, buildings, heritage structures, roads, dams, bridges and vehicles, on a single digital platform. The second reform is Plan Space 2.0, a project registry that will geo-tag all capital projects approved by government departments. It is an upgraded version of the existing Plan Space system and will enable the government to track the financial and physical progress of around 2,000 projects.

The third reform is the creation of a comprehensive registry of government institutions. There are 591 institutions under the state government, with nearly Rs 19,000 crore spent annually on salaries. Many of these institutions were established years ago, and some continue to function even after serving their original purpose. The new registry aims to streamline and review these institutions.

The fourth reform involves a comprehensive review and amendment of outdated, unnecessary and conflicting laws. The fifth reform focuses on improving the ease of living and ease of doing business in the state," the Chief Minister said.

The cabinet also decided to allot 90 acres of land for BrahMos Aerospace and appoint G. Saseendran as the Additional Director General of Prosecution (Vigilance).

The Chief Minister said preparations for Onam are in the final stage. More than six lakh free Onam kits will be distributed to yellow ration card holders and inmates of welfare institutions. Each kit, costing Rs 854, will contain 16 essential items. The distribution will be carried out from August 10 to 20. He added that the government will also take measures to prevent a spike in prices during the festive season.